Monday, November 24, 2008

Leucadia Osprey

This awesome Osprey was feeding on a fish atop of a telephone poll near Beacons Beach Monday morning,

I had never even seen Ospreys in Leucadia until a few years ago.

A couple of crows were harassing the Osprey while it fed.

Pulling apart it's fish breakfast.

Pesky crow.

Check out his talons,

I am still pretty geeked out about getting to observe this Osprey.

Back to Beacons for another fish!

For some professional hi-res photos of local Osprey visit Bird-Friends.com

See also San Diego Audubon Society

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

So cool! The bird life has really changed locally over the past twenty years. Growing up here, there were no pelicans, now they are abundant. Never saw a crow in coastal SD until about 20 years ago...and now they are ubiquitous. But an osprey, what a treat. I have also seen many more yellow Oriels (sp?). Also saw a falcom I think.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of birds . . .
Anyone have any information on Thanksgiving dinner at Captain Keno's?

Anonymous said...

A pair of osprey has a nest at Batiquitos Lagoon. You can watch them fish most every day.

fred said...

7:14

Yes, but to be fair, eating a bird is not mandatory. Thanksgiving Dinner at Keno's begins Thursday at 2pm till 6pm. It is $3. for all you can eat and free I believe to those who can't afford it. It's buffet style with turkey, dressing, yams, carrots, cranberry sauce, corn, mashed potatoes, rolls, beverages and deserts, and some other stuff I forget.

Surfy Surfy! said...

Who has photos of the Leucadia parrots?

Anonymous said...

Bless Captain Keno! :-)

Anonymous said...

If you're into local bird life, check out the new 2009 Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation Calendar with photos by local photog Sharon Anthony. More info at http://www.batiquitosfoundation.org/newsite/shop_calendar.php

Anonymous said...

I'm guessing its the same bird, but I've seen one cruise along the swami's cliffs over and over again. Very neat! If your sitting up top on one of the benches he go right by about 30 feet in front of you. You can see him moving his head scanning for prey, Very impressive! Does he have a nickname?

Anonymous said...

how 'bout "Louie Louie".

walker O said...

official bird of Leucadia.

Robert said...

The Leucadia Parots are NON Native and have to be outlawed, just like any non-native plant.

Geez- Native only!!! that is what Leucadia is about.

Anonymous said...

I think the point of native is resilience. The long history of native plants means the DNA knows how to survive the coastal climate, temperature variations and the drought.

That may be a possible metaphor, but Leucadians are people. People do not usually rely on habitat, or body clues or other obvious realities that surround them. But, damn, we would be resilient as hell if we did.

Anonymous said...

"The long history of native plants means the DNA knows how to survive the coastal climate, temperature variations and the drought."

Why then did 3 medians of natives completely die when locals planted them in 2002?

Anonymous said...

Parrots were native to southern California but were wiped out. The Living Desert Zoo in Palm Springs has the last native so-cal parrots in a breeding program.

Anonymous said...

If the last two natives are in prison in Palm Springs, who are all these fresh little parrots flying around Leucadia?

I regularly see a flock of four cruising around Leucadia.

And once, when I was stuck in Santa Ana (a god awful place), I saw hundreds of happy parrots that looked very comfortable calling they area home. There are a lot of Mexicans in Santa Anna. Where those illegal Mexican Parrots?

what’s the story bird Folks?

Anonymous said...

Half of Cardiff would love to give Leucadia the BIRD!

Surfy Surfy! said...

I think the parrots flying around Leucadia are escaped Mexican Parrots which look very similar to the native southern California parrots. I wonder how old the Leucadia parrots are? They live to be 65.

Anonymous said...

Thank God for the other half of Cardiff. Because as a Leucadian, I love cardiff soul. Cardiff is sweet.

helen djukic said...

There's an Osprey that lives on a tree branch below the I Street Lookout, about 20 feet above the water. I've never seen it fish or fly, but looking at the back of this beautiful bird is good enough for me.